What makes for a weak immune system?
Anika H. Ahmed, MD
The immune system is the main defense system of the body made up of white blood cells, antibodies, lymph nodes and other organs that filter all infection and react with inflammatory cells to control the infection. A weak immune system is by definition that which has weak capacity to react to a bug such as bacteria, a virus, or any foreign body, and the affected people are labelled as immunocompromised. Several factors can cause a weakened immune system, mainly environmental or lifestyle effects and diseases. Among the environmental factors that weaken the immune system are smoking, alcohol, stress of any kind, sleep deprivation and unbalanced diet. These identified factors disrupt the production of white blood cells, the main defense cells of the body that are an essential component of the immune system.
There are certain diseases and conditions that also weaken the immune system. At the top of the list is HIV/AIDS. As the name indicates, people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection that develop Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are more susceptible to all kinds of infections because their immune system is weak. Bugs that may cause a mild or no reaction in healthy people can cause a serious illness in immunocompromised patients, leading to serious, fatal diseases like pneumonia, bronchitis, meningitis, as well as skin reactions and generalized weakness. Besides HIV/AIDS, patients with Diabetes, Hepatitis, malnutrition, certain cancers and all cancer-related treatments like various chemotherapies and radiotherapies also have a weak immune system. Additionally, some patients with autoimmune disorders, patients on dialysis, and post-operative transplant patients are put on immunosuppressive drugs so their immune system does not cause an immune reaction that could lead to rejection of treatment or of the transplanted organ.
One must watch out for signs of a weak immune system. The major indications of a weak immune system are frequent infections. Examples of such infections would be frequent colds that last longer than four to five days, frequent belly problems like diarrhea, gas or constipation, getting pneumonia twice in a year, and generalized weakness, tiredness and exhaustion. All these lead to disruption of white blood cells, mainly lymphocytes that can cause a weak immune system. Besides frequent infection, an immunocompromised individual will see slow healing of wounds. Normally after a cut, burn, or scrape the skin starts repairing with increased blood supply and goes into defensive mode to regenerate new skin. This healing process depends on a strong immune system. In case of a weak immune system, the sluggish reaction because of insufficient white blood cells slows the healing and the wound takes a long time to heal – as is typically seen in Diabetic patients.
All individuals with weak immune system must guard their bodies against serious infections like Influenza and COVID-19 with vaccination (when available), maintain highest standards of hygiene of self and environment, avoid stress and sleep deprivation, and practice a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle includes a balanced diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables which provide nutrients that boost the immune system.